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Chhattisgarh chief minister envisions leap with Korean tech
The Indian state of Chhattisgarh recently highlighted the synergy between Korea’s technology leadership and its abundant natural resources. The central state is encouraging Korean companies to join India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, which hopes to significantly expand the country's gross domestic product. India is now the world’s fourth-largest economy but aims to become the third-largest by 2030, with a projected GDP of $7.3 trillion. In an interview with The Korea Herald and its sister publica
Sept. 2, 2025 -
S. Korea, Ecuador to sign strategic economic cooperation agreement to expand ties
South Korea and Ecuador plan to sign a formal bilateral Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement on Tuesday to expand ties amid global trade uncertainties, Seoul's industry ministry said. The agreement is scheduled to be signed during a meeting between Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and his Ecuadorian counterpart, Luis Alberto Jaramillo, in Seoul later in the day, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. SECA is an economic cooperation agreement that covers broader areas than
Sept. 2, 2025 -
Natl. Assembly speaker to depart for Beijing to attend military parade
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik is set to depart for Beijing on Tuesday to attend a ceremony marking China's anniversary of victory over Japan in World War II, officials said. The planned visit by Woo to Beijing coincides with a rare trip by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who also plans to attend the military parade Wednesday, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Speaker Woo will depart for China on an evening flight today," an official at his o
Sept. 2, 2025 -
White House releases photos underscoring cordial mood of Lee-Trump summit
The White House has unveiled dozens of photos taken during last month's summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump, including a guest book in which Lee expressed his hope for a "strong and great" future for the bilateral alliance. On Flickr, an image sharing service, it released some 40 photos from the Aug. 25 summit, showing a variety of scenes, including Trump's greeting of Lee at the West Wing entrance, their Oval Office meeting and their handshake and c
Sept. 2, 2025 -
India’s Chhattisgarh woos Korean firms with new industrial policy
The Indian state of Chhattisgarh held the Investor Connect event in Seoul on Wednesday, inviting Korean companies to harness its New Industrial Policy. Launched in 2024, the policy aims to build smart industrial corridors and modern estates to connect markets, ease logistics, and support efficient, tech-enabled businesses. “Chhattisgarh beckons global investors seeking a stable, welcoming and future-forward business environment,” said Ramesh Iyer, chair of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea
Sept. 1, 2025 -
Georgia, Korea Herald discuss cooperation
Georgian Ambassador to Korea Tarash Papaskua and Herald Media Group CEO Choi Jin-young discussed ways to deepen Georgia–Korea economic cooperation during a courtesy meeting Friday. Noting the progress on the Georgia-Korea free trade agreement, the ambassador said that the Korean side had proposed renaming the Economic Partnership Agreement. "Now we call it the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA," he told The Korea Herald. "It’s a more positive and broader message for business
Sept. 1, 2025 -
Chile eyes audiovisual partnership with Korea through new rebate incentives
Chile's minister of culture, arts and heritage sees a promising partnership with Korea in the audiovisual sector, driven by Chile’s new rebate system and Korea’s strong export capacity. In an interview with The Korea Herald, Minister Carolina Arredondo cited reciprocal market platforms — such as the Chilean cultural and creative industries market (MIC) in Santiago and the K-Content Expo in Korea — as “windows into each other’s industries.” MIC Chile is a platform to exchange and collaborate in a
Sept. 1, 2025 -
S. Korea to hold rotating presidency of UN Security Council this month
South Korea will undertake the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month for the first time in 15 months, officials said Monday. South Korea will officially begin its presidency Tuesday (New York time), according to the UN headquarters, with Seoul expected to use the chair to help set the council's agenda and shape discussions on key global issues, including the Israel-Palestine conflict and the war in Ukraine. As the post of South Korea's permanent representative to the United N
Sept. 1, 2025 -
FM says possibility of US-N. Korea summit at APEC 'very low for now'
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Sunday that the possibility of a US-North Korea summit occurring on the sidelines of a regional forum in South Korea later this year is "very low for now." Speaking on a KBS news program, Cho was referring to speculation US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at the end of October. "I can only say that the possibility is very low for
Aug. 31, 2025 -
S. Korea, ASEAN to discuss ways to improve FTA amid new trade issues
South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were set to hold talks Friday on improving their free trade agreement to reflect recent changes in the global trade environment, Seoul's industry ministry said. The South Korean delegation to the talks, comprising officials from the industry, finance, environment and agriculture ministries, as well as other related agencies, will hold a virtual meeting later in the day with trade delegations from the 10 ASEAN member nations, according to
Aug. 29, 2025 -
Thailand seeks stronger role in supply chains, showcases soft power in Korea
As global supply chains shift and competition intensifies across Asia, Thailand is positioning itself as a strategic hub for trade, investment and innovation — and it wants Korean companies on board. “Cooperation among economies is more critical than ever,” Thai Ambassador to Korea Tanee Sangrat told The Korea Herald, emphasizing Thailand’s ambition to become a linchpin in both regional and global supply networks. Thailand, Southeast Asia’s largest mainland economy, has long leveraged its strate
Aug. 26, 2025 -
Who is Dr. Lee, Trump’s interpreter?
At the White House on Monday, during the summit between South Korea and the United States, a familiar face returned: Lee Yun-hyang, one of Washington’s most trusted Korean interpreters. Lee, who directs the State Department’s Office of Language Services, is a graduate of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul and has been with the department since the early 2000s. In Washington, she is widely known simply as Dr. Lee. She first gained international attention during US President Donald Trum
Aug. 26, 2025 -
Trump says US to partner with S. Korea, Japan on Alaska energy project
US President Donald Trump said Monday the United States will partner with South Korea and Japan for an energy project in Alaska to develop the state's massive oil and gas reserves. Trump made the remarks at his first summit with President Lee Jae Myung at the White House, which followed Seoul's trade deal with Washington to lower tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in exchange for a $350 billion investment package and $100 billion in US energy purchases. "We have the greatest amount of energy
Aug. 26, 2025 -
Lee vows to increase defense spending, modernize alliance with US
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday pledged to boost defense spending, vowing a more proactive role for Seoul in its alliance with the United States in President Donald Trump's second term. In a speech at the Statesmen’s Forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Lee said his administration would build a "smart, elite military" to address 21st-century security challenges, stressing that Korea’s defense commitment to the alliance would remain iro
Aug. 26, 2025 -
White House officially announces plan for summit, luncheon between Lee, Trump
The White House on Sunday announced a plan for President Donald Trump to have summit talks and a luncheon with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung this week, as Lee arrived in Washington on Sunday for the high-stakes meeting. Trump plans to greet Lee at the White House at noon on Monday (Washington time) and start a bilateral meeting at the Oval Office 15 minutes later before joining a bilateral lunch at the Cabinet Room at 12:45 p.m., according to the White House. The White House had not made
Aug. 25, 2025